


Keeping Up With the Threads

by theminiummark



Series: Love Sighted [3]
Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Royalty, M/M, Mpreg, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-12
Updated: 2020-03-12
Packaged: 2021-02-26 14:51:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23111851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theminiummark/pseuds/theminiummark
Summary: A Love Sighted Extra
Relationships: Sidney Crosby/Evgeni Malkin
Series: Love Sighted [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/663545
Comments: 2
Kudos: 66





	Keeping Up With the Threads

In the days just before Sidney gave birth, he started nesting in a whole new way. One of the biggest changes, beside what his body was telling him, was everything _felt _different. He noticed smells on a whole new level, but now, Sidney fretted over the way things felt. 

Mainly it was just fabric. Sweaters he had for years suddenly felt rough and irritating to the touch. Honestly, it probably didn’t help that almost all of his favorite clothes didn’t fit in any remote point of imagination. 

Even Zhenya’s clothes felt wrong. Sidney just needed things to be...softer. Gentle. He was already uncomfortable as it is, but now his own clothing was making it ten times worse. The fact he had already had a million other things to worry about, and his irritating clothing distracting him at all times only added to the problem. 

It all came to head the day Zhenya found him sitting on the floor of their closet, naked except for his underwear, crying that every piece of clothing either didn’t fit or felt so _bad_ that there was nothing left to put on. 

~~

Zhenya could only remember a few times that he had been more terrified in his life. Most of them involved his husband, come to think of it. That said a lot about how far they had come, he supposed. Coming back from a meeting to find their rooms devoid of his pregnant husband, only to find him sobbing on the floor of their closet, practically naked. It would stay with him for a while.

Which is why he found himself at a tailor, two hours outside of the capital, explaining his dilemma to a man who was one of the most lauded suit makers in the country. Flower and Duper recommended him, so here he was. He probably shouldn’t have brought Alex for moral support though. 

Alex could come back on his own, if he was that desperate for Mr. Backstrom to get him out of his pants. 

“Thank you for taking the time to meet with me today,” said Zhenya, shaking the man’s hand before sitting in the plush chairs Mr. Backstrom motioned him to. He coughed behind his hand when he noticed Alex holding onto the tailor’s hand a moment too long, rolling his eyes at his best friend.

“No, please, please, my pleasure,” Mr. Backstrom demurred. “When we spoke on the phone, you made it sound urgent, and well, it is an honor to serve the Prince. How may I help?”

Zhenya couldn’t help but admire the man’s confidence and thoughtful speech. He immediately knew he was in good hands. 

“It is for my husband, the Prince Consort,” Zhenya began, smiling helplessly at the thought of his miserable husband. “As you know, he is pregnant and he has found an aversion to most clothes. If it’s not the fit, it’s the feel, or so he tells me.”

Mr. Backstrom nodded, as if this was a perfectly normal occurrence for him. Zhenya shrugged to himself. Who knows, maybe it was. 

“Has he told you what has been bothering him about the feel?”

“Too rough, coarse - irritating is a word he used. Sidney says that nothing is soft enough.”

Mr. Backstrom nodded, mostly to himself, again, eyes thoughtful as he looked around his shop. 

“Do you have his measurements?”

Zhenya passed over a sheet of the palace stationary that Duper had given him with his strong suggestion of speaking to Mr. Backstrom. He couldn’t fault his staff for wanting to care for Sidney. They were all quite attached to him. 

Mr. Backstrom ‘hmm’ed’ under his breath once as he glanced at the paper, before smiling at Zhenya. 

“I think I have just the thing for the Prince Consort,” Mr. Backstrom said, getting to his feet and ushering them back to the door. “Give me a few days and I will have some things made and available to try. I’ll put in a call to the palace when they are ready.”

Zhenya nodded, shaking Mr. Backstrom’s hand with far too much enthusiasm, but he couldn’t help himself. He was filled with relief that he would be able to do _something _to help. Nothing could dim that, even if he had to practically drag Alex away from the shop by his shirt collar. 

~~

Zhenya was beyond impressed. The clothes arrived earlier that afternoon, and Zhenya had them delivered to his office. His plan was to surprise Sidney with them when he finished with his reports, but his curiosity grew enough to urge him to take a peek at the finished product. 

Each piece was exquisite. The fabric was soft and light, in some cases. Some of the cardigans and jackets were expertly weighted, so they followed Sidney’s growing body line in comforting ways without getting in the way. The trousers seemed durable, but looked as though they could be worn to many functions. There was even underwear and socks packed neatly into another bag. Mr. Backstrom had certainly out-done himself. 

Zhenya knew that this was just what Sidney was waiting for. He couldn’t wait to see Sidney try everything on.

Leaving the reports for later, he grabbed the garment bags, and took the stairs by two. He was so happy he was _finally_ able to do something to help ease Sidney’s discomfort as they waited for their newest addition. 

~~

Sidney napped for the second time that day. He had been up half the night before, heartburn so bad every time he drifted off, it would flare up again. Like a cat, he curled up in the sun on the sofa, wrapped in his old terry cloth robe, worn soft from his years of ownership. It was one of the only things he could wear without wanting to feel like his skin would crawl right off. 

He stirred when the crinkle of tissue paper came close by, followed by a warm, large hand, sweeping an errant curl back from his face. Warmer lips brushed his brow, and the smell of Zhenya’s spicy aftershave filled the air and tugged a smile from him, even before his eyes fluttered open. 

Smiling back at him, Zhenya sat on the coffee table in front of the sofa. Sidney yawned, hiding it behind the back of his hand, before sitting up and stretching. Taking in the boxes and bags around them, he looked at his husband quizzically.

“What’s all this?”

“It’s a surprise.”

Sidney raised an eyebrow at his husband, who was acting like a giant puppy, all pleased. He proudly opened one of the bags, took out a soft, blue shirt, and placed it in Sidney’s lap. It was so soft, and felt light and delicate. Pushing oben his robe, he slipped his arms free and slung the shirt over his shoulders, not even trying to hold back the contented sigh that escaped him as the shirt settled perfectly. 

As he buttoned it across his chest, he noted the fine details, such as his initials on each cuff, and the way the fit was just right. 

He looked up into Zhenya’s hopeful face, eyes brimming with tears. 

“Thank you,” he breathed, smiling. “What a perfect surprise.”

Zhenya beamed back at him, before enthusiastically taking out all of the rest of the clothing for Sidney to touch and try on. 

After a good hour of discovering his new wardrobe, Zhenya had gathered everything up, and went into the closet to put it all away and banish the rest of the clothes that had made Sidney so uncomfortable. 

Finding a business card amongst the flotsam of tissue paper, he made note to thank Mr. Backstrom most fervently. 

~~

Leaving the hospital after Nadya’s birth was so eventful. There was a photo shoot for the press, words from Zhenya’s _and _Sidney’s parents, and way more preparation to bring their little one home than Sidney ever expected. 

Sidney was still terrified that they were letting him leave with her, all on his own, but he supposed many first time parents felt the same. 

The awe of her still hadn’t worn off. Still had beautiful fingers and toes, sweet sounds, and gentle breaths. 

Sidney didn’t think he could love someone so much. Zhenya fared much worse. The way he looked at them, like they were everything, made Sidney elated and frightened at the same time. He wasn’t sure what to do with that yet. 

But now, dressed in his favorite, most comfortable Backstrom shirt and slacks, looking soft and content, he bundled his Nadya home. 

**Author's Note:**

> This started (years ago now) with photographs of Sid trying on a great looking button up, shoes off and looking soft. And then bookworm23 and I got talking and this fic was started. It's sat in my drafts forever, before I posted it to my tumblr. Not sure if there will be more to this, but for now, enjoy this little fic.


End file.
